Sri Lanka's coastline is one of the most important sea turtle habitats in the Indian Ocean, with five of the world's seven sea turtle species regularly nesting on its sandy beaches. Green turtles, hawksbill turtles, olive ridley turtles, loggerhead turtles, and the enormous leatherback turtle all come ashore on Sri Lankan beaches to lay their eggs, making the island a globally significant site for sea turtle conservation. The warm tropical waters, abundant seagrass beds, and relatively undeveloped stretches of coast in the south and east provide ideal conditions for these ancient mariners.
Rekawa Beach on the southern coast is widely regarded as the premier turtle nesting site in Sri Lanka, where a community-run conservation program allows visitors to observe nesting turtles under the guidance of trained rangers on most nights between January and July. The Turtle Conservation Project at Rekawa has been instrumental in protecting nesting females and their eggs from poaching, achieving remarkable success over the past two decades. Kosgoda on the southwestern coast is another major hub, home to several turtle hatcheries that rescue eggs from at-risk nests, incubate them in protected tanks, and release hatchlings back into the ocean.
Beyond the nesting beaches, Sri Lanka offers excellent opportunities to encounter sea turtles in the water. The shallow reefs off Hikkaduwa, Unawatuna, and Pigeon Island near Trincomalee are home to resident populations of green and hawksbill turtles that have become habituated to snorkelers and divers, often allowing remarkably close encounters. Whether you witness the primordial spectacle of a mother turtle dragging herself up the beach under starlight or swim alongside a graceful green turtle gliding over coral, Sri Lanka's sea turtle experiences rank among the most magical wildlife encounters the island offers.
